Quinta-Feira Question Time: Who’s Taking the Penalties?

I think the problem is that the goaltenders are doing their homework and studying what each kicker likes to do. You notice how Chech did move at all till Ronlado stopped his stutter?

Ronaldo has to just change it up a bit. And the stutter step doesn’t work if the keepers expecting it and waits to see where the balls going because now you don’t have the same power on the kick. Easier to get to it. Just power the ball where you want it and make it impossible for the keeper.

Posted from  Canada

I honestly believe that Simao is the bet spot kicker, if he’s on the field, then he should get the nod. However I think we shouldnt freak too much about Ronaldo, he went many games without missing, so I’m not sure that due to these two recent misses, he shouldnt remain our default.

notice i made it through this whole post without metioning how excellent man u is.

Posted from  United States

I think any good keeper knows Ronaldo’s tricks now, at least with penalties. The whole stutter might be messing up his shots. I think he could still be a great penalty kick taker if he just used his raw skill to put it in the back of the net. I think keepers can judge better if you stutter like that.

Posted from  Canada

I also don´t think we should strat freeking out cos he missed 2 penalties in 2 very difficult momments – yesterday I was actually affraid Nani would miss it as well, after CR missed his. And let´s be clear, to me it was obvious the guy just freezed. He just paralised…
Anyway, he did NOT miss against ENG in his first WC nor did he miss in the countless MU penalty kicks during the season. He´s still only 23. He scored 2 against Arsenal, having to repeat one. Also a lot of pressure in these momments.
As said, we have several excellent penalty takers, as well as freekicks.
Scolari on this, saying
“A vida continua a dar-nos ensinamentos todos os dias. Ontem tivemos mais um. Foi provado que um não carrega 20 mas que 20 carregam um. Foi o que vimos quando o Cristiano falhou o penálti e todos o ajudaram. É isso que queremos na Selecção: 20 trabalhando e ajudando um”.
http://www.record.pt/noticia.asp?id=787764&idCanal=1252

The man is brilliant in the psicological dpt…

Posted from  Netherlands

More on Deco and Miguel, who got minor injuries and didn´t do the full training yesterday… http://www.record.pt/noticia.asp?id=787785&idCanal=1252

Posted from  Netherlands

Ande here is Real´s president adding a bit of gasoline to the fire… http://www.maisfutebol.iol.pt/noticia.php?id=954962

CR MUST stay with Man Utd. It´d be the biggest mistake of his career to move to Spain, or to Real, right now… Cos Real might even pay 100 million for him, but if he starts failing a bit, he won´t find any help in that club. Quite the opposite. Real is a starts club, where the coach has very little influence and players + president do what they want, no matter how stuopid it is – we all remember the Galactico strategy (Figo was the first), that made them rich and destroyed the team.
When CR wins the best player award, when Real are able to win La Liga not just when Barça is weak and when they´re able to take the Champs League and CR has nothing to loose anymore (like Figo, when he moved there), THEN he can be Madrid´s superstar and do all the stepovers he wants…
Believe it or not, I think his career still needs solidity, right now. And he can find it in Man Utd. Leave Real for when Real cannot destroy him, if it goes wrong…

Posted from  Netherlands

Pedro I’m with you. Moving to Real would be the biggest mistake CR could make. Look at Henry now. Problem is I think CR’s agent is thinking about his pocket book more than whats best for CR.

As far as the PK’s go, I also don’t think we have any worries. We just don’t want to go to PK with the Germans! I don’t believe there is a country in the world better at PK than the Germany. Scary!!!

Posted from  Canada

Engineerd to win…
“Ze germans” might not have superb technique, they have a simple game, etc, but in every little thing they do, they are formidable. They can do the same movements for 90 mins and score 2 or 3 against the best teams. Being predictable is NOT a weak point for them. They make very little (or zero) mistakes and are rock solid. Their mid range (cannon) shots are as dangerous as a greek corner kick…

Posted from  Netherlands

i vote simão also

a least ronaldo is not like beckham , who kick the ball into space.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=TLBTDYHz-b0

Posted from  United States

IT really does not matter. Portugal will not be in the tourney long enough to worry about those issues.

Posted from  Canada

LusoCanuck is correct re pk’s.
Pedro is spot on regarding all the transfer talk. Too bad CR’s mom has been quite vocal about the white shirt of Madrid, hopefully she’s not saying guilt trip crap like, “all i want to do before I die is see you in a Real jersey”. When everything is going as well as it is, it would be ridiculous to switch clubs.

Tim: So, in order to take a penalty in this tournament you have to make it to the second round? I thought you might be able to take one maybe in one of the first three matches? Say, if there’s a foul in the box? I enjoy your silly comments, so please continue trolling the board.

Posted from  United States

We’ll be okay. We just need to get out of our group. After that it’s 2 games and we are in the final. Easy!

Posted from  Canada

Yeah but those two games after the group will suck because one will almost certainly be Germany…

And before all that, we have to play Turkey. And after that the czechs. It´s already enough to worry about…

Posted from  Netherlands

The good news is that if we get out of our group then the only teams in our way (before the final) would be Germany, Croatia and Poland. I think we can beat the Germans. Won’t be easy and I certainly don’t like I chances if it goes to penalty kicks with them.
The final is always anyones game as the Greeks proved.

Posted from  Canada

C-Ron will take the spot kicks for PT, I think he has learned a valuable lesson in terms of not f*&king around before he takes a kick. He is too good to let this get him down.

Posted from  United States

If Ronaldo doesn’t take the penalties, it should be Simao, without a doubt.

ALl Im saying is penalties is not the reason why Portugal will lose. They will lose due to a lack of experience and a undervalued group.

Although I do believe Simao would be a good choice. I would hate to see CR cry again.

Posted from  Canada

Yes Tim, Portugal making the finals and semifinals in their last 2 tournaments means we are very inexperienced. Yes playing in a group with one of the top keepers in the world and a team that actually plays better as a whole than the sum of its parts is going to be the reason we lose. Are you the Tim from the MontyPython movies? Yes,you are Tim the Enchanter!

Posted from  United States

Simão Sabrosa or Hugo Almeida will probably the choosen ones…

Posted from  Portugal

Ronaldo will be fine, I’ve got all the confidence in the world in him to take a PK.

If portugal happens to go to penalties, these are the 5 I would want to have take them, assuming they are all on the field of course.

Ronaldo
Simao
Deco
Petit
Quaresma

So essentially, Portugal’s 5 midfielders, although, it is unlikely that these 5 will be on the field at the same time in the tournament.

Posted from  Canada

Simao would be my pk taker as it would take the pressure off CR who many say is not a big game player. If Simao is not on the pitch, then Deco or Nani.

Posted from  Hong Kong